Li Yang, one of China’s most famous English teachers, apologized for beating his American wife more than a week after she posted photos of her injuries on the web and set off a bomb of criticism.

       “I wholeheartedly apologize to my wife Kim and my girls for committing domestic violence. This has caused them serious physical and mental damage,” Li said on his mieroblog at Weibo.com, the country’s most popular social media site, on Saturday. Li, 42, is a mechanics major but is best known for his “Crazy English,” a popular method of language learning that involves yelling at the top of one’s lungs.

       He was at the center of public criticism after his wife Kim Lee put up posts on the web accusing him of abuse, showing her swollen forehead and knees.

       @Xuemanzi, angel investor

       Anti-domestic violence laws should be made as soon as possible, giving protection to the rights of women and children lawfully. Police should not stand back from domestic violence any longer, even if no one reports them. Society, as a whole, should attach greater importance to the crime.

       @Wuzhihong, psychiatrist and counselor

       Extreme and crazy personality always goes hand in hand with violence and a low degree of tolerance.

       @Zhangxiaomei

       Chinese are never taught about marital(婚姻的) relations, which mean not merely living together. A good marriage needs to overcome three differences: family background, gender and personalities. In addition to these, there is cultural gap in Li Yang’s case. If the effects of these differences are not well understood, after the honeymoon period, they will turn into conflicts and endanger the marriage. Li’s domestic violence is a reminder that China needs such education.

       @Wuxiaolong, Sina Weibo user

       Li Yang’s choice to resort to domestic violence really reflects his character. Students who have attended his Crazy English Camp may know what I mean: Li wants his students to worship him as an idol. I still remember he once had his students kowtow to him. He always teaches English by imposition(权威强制), which directly reflects his desire for power.

       @Sikaozhe, Sina Weibo user

       In the US, the punishments for domestic violence are even more severe than strealing. If the police arrive at the wife’s call during a fighting between a couple nd find injuries on her, they will immediately arrest the husband. Even if the wife doesn’t call the police, they may also show up as neighbors could well do their part.

       @ykxin Sina Weibo User

       Don’t blindly worship anyone, because in every closet there may hide a skeleton. As a famous Chinese saying goes, “Only they who do well in their daily routine tasks can fulfills their dreams on great occasions”. Not surprisingly, one who focuses too much on his career and ignores his family, like Li Yang, will fail in both. Don’t judge a person by his career success, wealth, or any other material aspect, because what finally decides a person is his character.

       Although Li Yang publicly apologized to his wife, promising to love his daughters even if he and Lee divorce, the damage, perhaps permanently, has been done to his wife, his three daughters and the whole family.

       Wang Xingjuan, founder of the Maple Women’s Psychological Consulting Center, a non-profit organization, said nearly half of domestic violence abusers are people who have higher education, senior jobs and social status. She said this was probably because such people were usually under more mental stress.

       Domestic violence occurs in 30 percent of the 270 million Chinese families, with more than 85 percent of sufferers being women, according to a survey conducted by the All China Women’s Federation in 2007. About 100,000 Chinese families break up each year as a result of domestic violence, the federation said.